FAISALABAD: The number of candidates appearing in the Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) has declined by more than 31 per cent over the past five years. According to details, 138,158 candidates from across the country appeared in the test this year. The number stood at 204,000 in 2022, 180,000 in 2023, 167,000 in 2024 and 140,125 in 2025. Under the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, around 22,000 seats are available in public and private medical and dental colleges across the country.
Of these, around 4,000 to 5,000 seats are available in government medical and dental colleges, where competition is particularly high. The decline in the number of MDCAT candidates has been attributed to several factors, including a significant increase in the fees charged by private medical and dental colleges, the limited number of seats in government institutions and a growing trend among students to pursue medical education abroad.
PSDF, UAF JOIN HANDS TO TRAIN FARMERS: The Punjab Skills Development Fund (PSDF) and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) have agreed to collaborate on capacity building and technical skills development for farmers and rural youth under the Skills for Agriculture and Green Environment (SAGE) programme. The proposed collaboration will focus on climate-smart agriculture, efficient use of natural resources and emerging green technologies.
The development was discussed during a meeting between PSDF Head of Programme Design Mirza Akbar Hussain, Chief Financial Officer Syed Farrukh Jafri and UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali. Speaking at the meeting, Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali said equipping rural youth and farmers with practical and market-oriented technical skills was essential to address the growing challenges facing agriculture.